


Battle of sexes

by Princess_Geek



Series: Unspoken Desires [21]
Category: Desire & Decorum (Visual Novel)
Genre: Heartbreak, Protective Siblings, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love, Sibling Rivalry, Siblings, Teen Crush, Teen Romance, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29820039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princess_Geek/pseuds/Princess_Geek
Summary: They say all is fair in love and war. However, very few have the privilege to leave any of them without scars…if not in the heart, at least in pride. The Foredale clan is growing up so are the problems. But there is no wound that a little of siblings’ love does not help to heal.
Relationships: Briar Daly/Edmund Marlcaster, Briar Daly/Main Character (Desire & Decorum), Edmund Marlcaster/Main Character (Desire & Decorum), Harry Foredale/Main Character (Desire &Decorum)
Series: Unspoken Desires [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1807399
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	Battle of sexes

**Author's Note:**

> ❣ @missameliep, thank you so much for being my beta reader!  
> ❣ English is not my first language. Please, excuse me any typos /or grammatical errors.

Harry and Edmund argument could be heard down the hall. It was very rare for them to fight. Especially because Edmund was usually willing to deal patiently with his brother tantrums or chose doesn’t bother to answer to Harry’s provocations.

‘We have 6 hours to complete the second act…3 levels to pass, and we have two players are missing… How do you want me to be calm?!’

‘Harry, I want it as much as you do, but yelling and sulking won’t solve anything! I’m not in the mood for your dramas today.’

‘I want so badly wipe his smug smile…’

Beatrice and Briar just had to go and see what was going on.

‘What’s up boys? I’m sure the cellar ghosts can hear your discussion.’ Briar jested.

‘This is not your business!’ Harry grunted.

‘Can we help?’ Beatrice tried to be helpful. 

‘This is a boys’ problem, don’t be nosy!’

‘Don’t say you are so upset about a stupid game?’ Beatrice asked to confirm their suspicions.

‘It’s not any game…it’s the game of the year - **_WW II - Hellfire._** ’ Edmund was almost offended by his sister words.

‘Of course, they do not understand the seriousness of the situation, Edmund. Their brain is made of glitter.’

‘You say that again, I’ll rip your tongue out of your head!’ Briar threatened.

Beatrice gestured to calm her friend and dared, ‘Try us.’

‘Short version: we have six hours to pass the three most complex levels of the game. If we win, we will dethrone the team that has been at the top in Eton since last year. The problem is that we have two casualties in our team - Luke got stuck in extra training and George is grounded.’

‘We can take their place.’ Beatrice said.

‘You?’ Harry laughed scornfully ‘This is not like playing with dolls.’

‘I kind of agree with him,’ Edmund added, ‘The game is a little… How I’d say it…well … graphic? I think you will not enjoy it.’

‘We don’t play with dolls any more. We just keep a collection of dolls…it’s quite different. Also, if you two play this, it can’t be that difficult.’ Beatrice replied proudly.

‘Very well…It can’t hurt to try.’ Edmund handed him the two remaining console commands, ‘Don’t let me out, soldiers!’

‘Are you crazy?! We will end in last place and I will blame you for that for the rest of your days, you can be sure Eddie!’

‘Harry, play first, be dramatic later, please.’ Edmund was running out of patience. ‘Soldiers, we have precisely 5 hours and 49 minutes to complete the 3 missions of the second act. The troops under the command of General E.S_89 completed the mission an hour ago, but they suffered many casualties…This is our chance to show what we are made of!’

‘He should use this voice more often. People would take it more seriously.’ Briar whispered to Beatrice.

‘Private Harry, you know what to do! Beatrice, you take Luke’s place in the air force! Briar you stay with us on the floor! Recruits, you just shoot when I say! You know what keys you have to press to fire?’ The girls nodded. ‘At your position, soldiers! Let’s crush them!’

At first, the girls scrupulously followed the boys’ orders. After some time playing, Briar killed an enemy without Edmund’s permission.

‘Why did you do that?’ What was the part of just shooting when I say you didn’t understand? Edmund yelled.

‘Why should I keep him alive?’

‘You wasted a bullet on an insignificant soldier! Ammunition is rationed in this level. Focus on follow my lead!’ Edmund was beside himself, but Briar’s shocked face staring at him called him to earth. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.’

Not long after, Briar suggested, ‘Maybe we could just go into the next block…I have a bad feeling about this one.’

‘This is not about hunches…This is about strategy. Something that sewing doll dresses doesn’t require.’ Harry mocked.

While Harry was still talking, the building exploded, and they lost hit points.

‘Shii….’ Harry almost cursed.

Edmund almost dropped the controller, in despair. ‘If someone gets a shot, we are so fuc…’

‘Shame on you, guys, get yourself together! This was the universe punishing you for not listening my advice! Take your controllers, your slugs…Let’s make these bastards eat our bullets!’ Briar’s high-pitched voice rose, ‘'Foredale soldier number 1, give us area coverage! She ordered Beatrice, ‘Foredale number 2, get in the next block. Marlcaster and I will see what’s in that building, and then we’ll meet you.’

The three brothers were speechless in astonishment. Who was that war machine and what had it done to Briar? Nevertheless, none of them dared to challenge Briar’s orders. Level after level, Briar’s orders were paving the way for victory.

‘When I say 3, we will give them with everything we have! 1 … 2 … 3! ‘

It was an explosive victory. Harry and Beatrice hugged each other and Edmund lifted and spun Briar in the air, kissing her cheeks.

‘Who knew that a small apple like you would be our dark horse? Thank you so much, my sweet Briar!’

‘It’s a pleasure could shout at with you all.’ She smirked, ‘You owe me one. And you can be sure that I will charge you. Now, can you put me down, please?’

‘Of course, sorry.’

‘By the way: a pimple will pop up in the middle of your forehead any moment now. If I were you, I would take care of it as soon as possible,’ she whispered in his ear before Edmund gently set her on the floor.

‘I hope this will lift his spirit. He came home a mess last night.’ Harry told Beatrice in a lower tone.

‘What happened?’

‘I’m not sure…he didn’t want to talk to me, but he had breakfast in private with father this morning. I think it has something to do with a girl.’

‘Why do you say that?’

‘I may have heard fragments of the conversation passing down the hall…’

‘What are you two plotting?’ Edmund asked suspicion.

‘Nothing!’ the two siblings they hastily replied.

Edmund gave them a suspicious look. He was preparing to put more questions when they were interrupted.

‘A phone call for Edmund.’ the butler handed him the phone.

‘Hello?’

‘I’ve just checked the ranking. Congratulations, Captain Ed_MC. What you did today was really impressive. You have been hiding a dark horse, haven’t you? It was a brilliant move to play that trump card today. I’d like to invite you to play the last act at my house next Saturday and talk about a potential alliance. I can’t wait to meet the wonder soldier.’

Edmund was answering in monosyllables. ‘Okay…Thank you…see you later.’

When he hung up the call, Edmund was a bit stunned. 

‘Did something happen?’ Beatrice asked.

‘Ernest invited us to play at this house next week.’

‘YESSS!’, Harry was rapt, ‘We’ll be finally joining to the League of Beasts. This is probably the happiest day of life!’

‘Ernest wants we introduce him to our dark horse.’

Harry, realizing what that would entail, responded immediately. ‘No way! It would be our end! Imagine the shame of show up there with two girls…I refuse to take them with us!’

And the chaos began…again. 

**_—— Earlier that morning —-_ **

‘Did you want to see me, father?’

‘Yes. Please, join me for breakfast.’

Edmund sat in the empty chair across from Vincent.

‘I apologize for not have joined to the family for breakfast. I wasn’t feeling well in the early morning.’

‘Are you feeling sick, my boy?’

‘No. I’m just…tired.’ Edmund lied.

‘Has your sister arrived from Hazelvale yet?’

‘I believe not.’

‘I hope Briar and her didn’t cause any trouble. Those three together can be a true Molotov cocktail.’

‘If they caused, they haven’t been caught yet, otherwise we would already know.’

Both took a few bites in silence.

‘How was your date last night?’

‘How do you…?’

‘How do I know?’ the Earl chuckled, ‘You went to the cinema … more elegant than usual, very well-combed, and you stole my cologne. I could smell it on you even though you were trying to stay two feet away from me.’

Edmund’s face turned red. ‘I’m…sorry,’ he stammered.

‘I hope it had fulfilled its mission.’ Vincent joked.

‘Not really.’ Edmund’s face fell.

‘I’m sorry to hear that. Do you want talk about it?’

Edmund drank some juice before continuing, ‘That’s okay, father. I don’t want to bother you with this.’

‘You could never bother me, son. I care about you and what happens in your life. If it is your wish to share, I am here. If you need any help, I’m here too. Or, we can just finish our breakfast and talk about other things. It’s up to you.’

Edmund sighed. ‘Do you the Hawkins?’

‘The owners of the central square pub?’

‘Yes. They have a daughter…Jane. I’ve known her forever, but we got to know each other better when we worked as volunteers at the church stall in the Winter Market. She is so… radiant, you know. She has green eyes that look like our gardens in the spring. She smells like strawberries and cream. And that smile…oh God, it blurs my reason. She consumes my thoughts every minute. When I’m with her, my stomach does flip flops…my heart sometimes seems to be stopped, sometimes it is super-accelerated, looking like it will come out of my mouth. There are moments when it seems that I don’t even know how to talk to her…I stumble over every word, but she is very kind, she smiles and encourages me to keep going.’

‘Oh my boy,’ Vincent smiles, ‘I know how it feels like. I never had much of a way with women, especially when I was your age. Honestly, neither when I got older. If it wasn’t for Ernest’s father pushed me, I don’t think I would have ever gone to talk to Beatrice’s mother.’

Edmund smiled briefly. ‘We’ve hanging out a few times. I thought I had read the signs well … that she might want something more…we had made out a couple of times before…How fool I was.’

‘We’re all fool in love, Eddie. I wish I could assure you that she will be the one to break your heart. You may have to try the slipper to several princesses before you find the one to whom it fits. But when you find it, I can assure you it will be wonderful.’

Edmund nodded.

‘I know that these words do not comfort you at the moment. There was a time when I found them empty too. I will not lie to you; it will take some time to heal the hole in your heart.’

‘She told me that I am a good friend, but that I am too much influenced by other’s will…that I’ve lack strength of spirit. And the saddest thing, I think that she is right.’

‘You just turned fifteen. You are still working to become the good man who I know you will be. In general, in a healthy relationship, the partners should accept each other as they are and do not force the other to change as a condition to be together. Relationships are like cakes. Attraction and passion are like filling and icing on the cake. They are delicious, but if the cake is not good, they will not disguise the poor quality of it for many bites…or the relationship will not last. For the cake to be good, each partner should help the other to bring out the best in themselves and respecting each other deeply. I will not be a hypocrite and say that my relationship with your mother is the best example. However, even she has made me a better man, or at least, more patient one,’ both chuckled, ‘What I’m trying to say is if she was not willing to try to bring out the best in you, it’s because she’s not right for you.’

‘Thanks for the pep talk, father.’

‘No need to thank me. You need to mourn your feelings, but try to have fun some these days, okay? It’ll be good for the healing process.’

**_—– Later that day —–_ **

‘A girl?!…You mean like a girlfriend?’ 

‘Harry didn’t know exactly what happened, but it seems he had a date last night and the girl dumped him.’

Briar was still stuck with the fact that Edmund was fancier someone under their nose and none of them noticed anything.

************

Edmund had stolen a couple of bottles of those drinks that are said to lift the spirits and took them to his room. He thought the hangover headache would be more tolerable than the broken heart. Those liquids burned from the tongue to the stomach. If ethyl alcohol burns to heal external wounds, it makes sense that the other alcohol helps to heal internal ones. He had already had drunk a few glasses when he heard a knock on the door. Hurriedly, Edmund hid the evidence of the crime and went to see who it was at that later hour.

He saw no one, but there was a basket at his door. There was an envelope in the basket. Edmund read the note inside. It was written in gold ink gel pen on pink paper and smelled like cotton candy.

_We know you are heartbroken. Don’t you dare deny it, because you know that we know everything that happens in this house. In this basket, you can find some items that will help you to stick the pieces of your heart: ice cream, chocolate candies, Ledford Park scones (don’t ask us how we got them, it’s top secret), cheesy films and tissues._

_Recommended dosage:_

_\- Eat the ice cream, the chocolate candies and the scones while you watch the cheesy films;_

_\- Cry a lot and wipe away tears with tissues;_

_\- Repeat the procedure until you feel better;_

_When this dose is over, we’ll bring you more. It works in all films, so we are sure it will work with you too._

_Beatrice and Briar_

_XOXO_

At the bottom of the note, there was a post scriptum written in black ink pen.

_P.S: I helped in the Ledford Park scones mission._

_Harry_


End file.
